Remember when I used to blog about comics? Me neither. No, seriously, I did, and do, but there seems little point when so many others are doing it better than I can.
After living in Hong Kong for two years, I finally found 2 shops with trade paperbacks (TPB) of current stuff I like. There's the excellent-if-cluttered Clark's Comics and then a few doors down there's the more spartan interior of Metro Comics. Go to the first for collectible stuff and go to the second for current issues and a few current TPBs.
Being sick at home a few days recently gave me a chance to catch up on the stuff I bought at those two stores so here goes.
First up we have Jonathan Hickman writing The Avengers. This TPB collects the first 6 issues of Hickman's run when he took over after Brian Michael Bendis' phenomenal overhaul of the Avengers universe and, by extension, the entire Marvel universe.
The issues are thin on plot -- it's a very cinematic take on things here -- but Jerome Opena's art in the first few issues is fantastic. If not much happens -- and it really doesn't -- then it's okay 'cause the settings are familiar and it's like revisiting a few friends you hadn't talked to in ages.
This sequence where Tony Stark (Iron Man) brings Steve Rogers (Captain America) on-board with his plans for a world of Avengers is a really nice one. It's better than some scenes in the first Avengers film, in some ways.
I liked Hickman's writing on the Fantastic Four so I'll try to keep up with his work here, even if they use other artists apart from the wonderful Jerome Opena.
Next up was this TPB collecting the first 5 issues of Uncanny Avengers. Written by Rick Remender and drawn by John Cassaday, the issues move fast and have a sort of retro vibe to them. I was a bit confused about where things stood as this took place presumably after the big Avengers vs. X-Men throwdown but I figured out things quickly. The characters look fantastic and the interplay between Captain America and X-Man Havok is really well done.
I liked Cassaday's artwork on another Captain America run so I'll be sure to follow this series too. For now, check out this exchange between Cap and Thor as they attempt to get Havok to go get coffee with them.
